Projectile propelled injector



March-26,1946. W HTINKER 2,397,385

i PROJECTILE PROPELLED INJECTOR `Filed Aug. 12, 1944 Patented Mar. 26, 1946 UN I T ED STAT ES PATENT FF l CE PROJ ECTILE -PROPELLED .INJECTOR Walter H. Tinker, Glenside, Ta., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to H SBCorporatiom-'a corporation of Pennsylvania 'Application August 12, 1944, SeralNo. 5491221 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a fluid pressure pump for pumping liquid, and has for its general object to provide a pump operating according to the projectile principle, in which a mass of Water confined as a free piston Within a conduit is subjected to the variable `force of expanding vfluid under pressure, whereby it is driven through the conduit with accelerated velocity, and into a pressure building nozzle in which the pressure of the liquid is .built up to a value exceeding the original pressure of the expansible fluid.

The theory of operation of the subject pump is distinctive from that of the usual injector action, in which energy transfer is by impact, with consequent reconversion of most of the original kinetic energy back into heat, implying the necessity of almost complete condensation. In the subject invention a mass of liquid is interposed as a free piston in closing relation to an expansible fluid chamber into which expansible fluid is admitted, causing a build up of fluid pressure until the inertia 4of the mass of liquid is overcome, whereupon expansion of the fluid against the contiguous face of the liquid mass drives the latter at accelerated velocity toward the pressure building nozzle. Under such conditions of operation the liquid mass absorbs more energy without the consequential shocksincident to action in the combining tube of the usual in# jector. Since condensation is not essential to the operation, and if present may be small and only incidental, an exhaust port for the expanded fluid is ordinarily provided adjacent the end of the zone of expansion and anterior to the pressure building nozzle. dling of hot water such as from a feed water heater.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump of the type described, in which a feed column 'of liquid and a flow of expansible fluid are brought into mutual interfering relationship whereby successive masses of liquid are separated from said column by the alternate low pressure phases in said expansible fluid flow occurring between high pressure phases in .said fluid Ilow created by the interposition of the separated liquidvmasses in occlusive` relation in the path of discharge of said eXpans'ible fluid.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of several vembodiments thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specification,^and in which, throughout the several figures the same refer- This system permits the han-V ence-numerals have` been used to denote identical parts:

Figure .1 is a longitudinal sectional vview of simple. apparatus embodying the principles of the. invention;

Figures V2 and 3 arediagrammatic viewsin section, of other .forms of apparatus, introduced largely for the purposeof interpreting the scope of the invention.

In the following description, for the sake of graphicness, steam will be used as an example of the expansible pumping medium, and water as the 'liquid pumped.

Referring now to Figure l, the pump Ycomprises a body l, having a water inlet 2, to be connected to a conduit, not shown, conducting a column of feed water to 'the pump, and a Water outlet 3, designedto deliver-water at a highery pressure than that of thepurnping medium.

Beneath the water inlet 2 is a steam chamber lwhich rcommunicates with the barrel 5. This, as shown, has the tapered form of the combining tube of a conventionalinjector. This shape is given solely in deference `to the fact that there will be some steam condensation as the steam expands, and as a consequent factor of efiiciency.

However, since in this invention the barrelk is not a combining tube and the condensation of steam not essential to its operation, the barrel need not be tapered. For example, if air were the expanding fluid, a straight barrel would be used.

Below the mouth of the barrel 5 and in axial alignment therewith is the convergent end of thepressure building nozzle 6, with a space 'l in- I tervening, for the escape of exhaust steam.

The-barrel Aand the'anterior end ofthe pressure building nozzle are surrounded by a jacket 8, defining an encompassing ,water chamber 9, having ka lateral outlet adjacent the discharge end of the-barrel 5 for water and exhaust steam. The barrel 5 mayhave spillways I I, opening into the water chamber 9, to facilitate displacement of Water from the barrel for starting. In normal operation, the inertia'of the water in the chamber' keeps'the waterv discharging from the barrel flowing into the pressure building nozzle.

Sincer the intermittent operation in this pump is rquite rapid, the following'description of its operation may be 'considered a slow motion narration ofwhat occurs.

Assuming that a slug of water l I has fallen from the advance end of the water column at the water inlet 2 across the steam chamber l during the low pressure Vphase in `said steam chamber, and momentarily "occupies `the position shown f closing the barrel 5, and that steam is being admitted to the chamber 4, pressure builds up in the chamber 4 until the inertia of the slug II is overcome. 'Ihis pressure reacts also against the lower end of the column in the water inlet 2, but since the mass of said column is greater than that of the slug II, the effect on said column is only to push it back until the check valve I2 which supports the lower end of said column, closes. the steam in the chamber 4 expands, driving the slug I I through the barrel 5 with accelerated velocity until it reaches the discharge end of the barrel, at which point the exhaust steam escapes through the space 'I and outlet I0 and the slug of Water traveling at high speed, enters the pressure building nozzle. Y' 1 When the pressure in chamber 4 is relievedby the discharge of the slug II, the Weight of the feed water column above the Water inlet 2 opens the check valve I2 and another slug of water is deposited in the upper end of the barrel 5.v I t is the successive build up of steam in the chamber II that determines the separation of successive slugs of water from the feed water column, and it is obvious that the provision of the check valve I 2 is not essential, for the feed water column may beheld back whenever the pressure in the chamber 4 rises toa value in excess of the head pressure of'said feed water column.

It is apparent also that the admission of steam to the chamber 4 may be continuous, provided it is admitted at such a rate as to give ltime for pressure build up in said chamber.

InFigure 1,which must be considered quite a specific embodiment of the invention, means is provided for admitting uniform volumes of steam at a uniform head pressure. Such means is per se old in other relations.

The body I of the pump is formed with a steam ante-chamber I3, to which steam is admitted As the inertia of the slug II is overcome,y

the steam, the discharge of steam through the barrel `is unimpeded and relatively little pressure is developed in the steamv chamber. This permits the feed water column in both cases to move into the steam chamber into closing relation to the barrel Iii. This immediately obstructs the steam discharge, causing a build up of pressure in the steam-chamber which holds back the portion of the feed water column beyond the steam chamber, followed by expansion which drives that'portion of the water column constituting the slug ZI which obstructs the barrel, through said barrel with accelerated Velocity until the steam exhaust port 20 is reached, whereupon the slug Yenters the pressure building nozzle 22. f

Upon pressure within the steam chamber I8 being relieved vby expansion of the steam and displacement of the slug, the feed water column again interposes its frontal portion into closing relationto the barrel I6. Y

While I have in the above'description4 disclosed several embodiments of the invention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that these are but a few examples of many alternative forms in'which the inventive concept may be expressed. What I claim as my invention is: l. Projectile jet pump comprising a barrel having a discharge end and means for admitting expansible fluid'to said barrel at a point remote from said discharge end,v said barrel having a pressure building nozzle adjacent'its discharge end and an exhaust expansble iiuid ventanterior to saidpressure buildingr nozzle, means for de-Y positing a slug or" liquid in said barrel in closing relation thereto adjacent the point of expansble through a restricted orice I4. Communication l 4 and build up the Working pressure therein, thereY will be alternate low and high pressure phases in the chamber 4, essential to the operation 0f the pump. It is to be understood that the valve which admits the expansive uidv may'cut off the supply of expansive iiuid at any predetermined position of the mass 'of iluid in barrel 5, the degree of expansion being under control of the Ydesigner of the apparatus.

AFigures'Z and 3 show diagrammatically, simplied embodiments of the'invention, in which the employment of valves is dispensed with.

The Vonly differencev between these figures is that in Figure 2 the barrel I6 extends transversely with respect tothe feed -water column II, while in Figure 3 thev barrel I6 Vand feed water column 'I7 are in longitudinal alignment.Y In both cases,

Vthe steam is admitted continuously to a steam chamber I8, with which both the feed water column and barrel communicates, the steam being admitted through a restricted orifice I9.

Y Before the water has fallen into the path oi barrel having a pressure building nozzle adjacent its discharge end and an exhaust expansble uid vent anterior to said pressure building nozzle, a conduit for conducting a column of liquid to said expansble iiuid chamber positioned to deposit a slug of liquid-from the advance endof said column into the-adjacent end of said,barrel in 'closing relation thereto adjacent the point of eX-' pansibleV iiuid admission, the mass of said slug being less than the mass of said column in said conduit, said column and said slug constituting yielding walls of said expansble iluid chamber, whereby pressure of the obstructed expansbler iluid is rst built up until the inertia of theV slugr is overcome, followed by expansion of theexpansible'iluid against said slug, driving the latter through said Ybarrel with accelerated velocity up to the point of location'of said exhaust vent.

3. Projectile jet pump comprising a barrel hav- Y ing a pressure building nozzle adjacent its discharge end, an expansble fluid exhaust vent any tioned to direct a progressively moving column of liquid across Va body of kinetic expansble fluid in said chamber from which column portions of liquid are intermittently fed in obstructive relation to the adjacent end of said barrel, each portion creating a build up of expansible uid in said chamber which separates said portion from said column followed by expansion of said expansible fluid driving the separated portion with accelerated velocity through said barrel to the point of location of said exhaust vent, the alternate relief of pressure in said chamber incident to the expansion phases of said expansible fluid permitting intermittent feeding of successive portions thereof into obstructive relation `to said barrel.

4. Projectile jet pump comprising a barrel having a pressure building nozzle adjacent its discharge end, an exhaust expansible fluid vent anterior to said pressure building nozzle, a chamber for building up expansible fluid pressure, remote from said exhaust vent, a conduit communieating with said chamber lpositioned to direct a progressively moving column of liquid across a body of kinetic expansible fluid in said chamber from which column slugs of liquid are intermit tently fed in obstructive relation to said barrel, means for admitting uniform volumes of expansible fluid at uniform head pressure intermittently to said expansible fluid chamber, comprising an ante-chamber to which expansible uid is admitted through a restricted orice, a valve controlling communication between said ante-chamber and expansible liuid chamber, loaded to open when the desired head pressure has been realized in said ante-chamber for admitting kinetic expansible fluid to said expansible fluid chamber, building pressure against said slug until its inertia is overcome, at the same time holding the rest of the liquid column back from said expansible fluid chamber, followed by expansion of the' expansible fluid, driving said slug through said barrel with accelerated velocity to the point of location of said exhaust vent, at the same time permitting the advance end of said liquid column to enter said expansible fluid chamber.

5. A pump comprising a barrel having a discharge end, means for admitting elastic fluid under pressure at a restricted rate to said barrel at a location remote from its discharge end, means for providing a slug of liquid in said barrel to close 01T free elastic fluid flow through the barrel, the rst named means causing the elastic fluid to enter the barrel at a low rate with avoidance of jet action upon said liquid which might tend to disperse the liquid, so that the liquid travels through the barrel in Ithe form of a slug accelerated by pressure of expanding elastic fluid, and a pressure building nozzle arranged in axial alignment With the barrel vto receive the liquid slug at high velocity and to decelerate it to transform its kinetic energy into pressure.

6. A pump comprising a barrel having 'a discharge end, a chamber in communication with the barrel remote from its discharge end, means for admitting elastic fluid underpressure at a restricted rate to said chamber, means for providing a slug of liquid in said barrel to close off free elastic fluid flow through the barrel from the chamber, the communication between the chamber and the barrel causing the elastic fluid to enter the barrel at a low rate with avoidance of jet action upon said liquid which might tend to disperse the liquid, so that the liquid travels through the barrel in the form of a slug accelerated by pressure of expanding elastic fluid, and a pressure building nozzle arranged in axial alignment with the barrel to receive the liquid slug at high velocity and to decelerate it to transform its kinetic energy into pressure.

7. A pump comprising a barrel having a discharge end, a chamber in communication with the barrel remote from its discharge end, means for admitting elastic uid under pressure at a restricted rate to said chamber to provide pressure fluctuations therein, means for providing a slug of liquid in said barrel to close off free elastic fluid flow through the barrel from the chamber, the communication between the chamber and the barrel causing the elastic fluid to enter the barrel at a low rate 'with avoidance of jet action upon said liquid which might tend to disperse the liquid, so that the liquid travels through the barrel in the form of a slug accelerated by Ipressure of expanding elastic fluid, and a pressure building nozzle arranged in axial alignment with the barrel to receive the liquid slug at high velocity v and to decelerate it to transform its kinetic energy into pressure.

8. A pump comprising a barrel having a discharge end, an elastic fluid chamber in free communication with the barrel remote from its discharge end, a second elastic uid chamber, means for admitting to the second elastic fluid chamber a restricted flow of elastic fluid under pressure, valve means between the two chambers for effecting intermittent flow of elastic fluid from the second mentioned chamber into the first, means for providing a slug of liquid in said barrel to close off free elastic fluid ow through the barrel from the first mentioned chamber, the communication between the first mentioned chamber and the barrel causing the elastic fluid vto enter the barrel at a low rate with avoidance of jet action upon said liquid which might tend to disperse the liquid, so that the liquid travels through the barrel in the form of a slug accelerated by pressure of expanding elastic uid, and a pressure building nozzle arranged in axial alignment with the barrel to receive the liquid slug at high velocity and to decelerate it to transform its kinetic energy into pressure.

` WALTER H. TlNKER. 

